Twenty Years of AIDS

Commemorating the twentieth year of the AIDS epidemic, the Museum of the City of New York is sponsoring the exhibit "Gay Men's Health Crisis: 20 Years Fighting for People with HIV/AIDS." The exhibit includes photos, historical artifacts, and an interactive audiovisual display of moving images and spoken word.

Despite a controversy over the Museum's decision to remove or modify some items it considered too sexually explicit, the exhibition is perhaps the most important ever mounted about the history of AIDS. It continues through September 10 at the Museum on Fifth Avenue at 104 Street. Hours are Wednesday-Saturday 10am-5pm, Sunday noon-5pm. Suggested admission to the museum (which includes an extensive permanent collection) is $7 for adults, $4 senior citizens, students, and children. Portions of the exhibit can also be viewed on the Internet at: www.mcny.org.

The exhibit's wall displays a timeline of major events (the panels with pink triangles in center). The wall displays also include examples of major AIDS public awareness messages, such as the now-famous rendering of the slogan "Silence=Death" (center) by artist Keith Haring, who died of AIDS.

Among those included in the Living Archive (see below) was the late Michael Slocum, a former editor of Body Positive magazine. In this photo, after pressing a button at Slocum's candle, it remains illuminated as he speaks about his experiences in a videoclip. Slocum is a co-author of the "You Are Not Alone" Body Positive creed that appears in each issue of the magazine.

Jane Rosett, a pioneering AIDS photographer and a founder of the People with AIDS Coalition of New York (PWAC-NY), co-curated the show with her partner Jean Carlomusto, an acclaimed videographer. While taking Body Positive on a tour of the exhibition, Rosett stood with "AIDS -- A Living Archive," an installation designed to resemble votive candles in a church featuring the faces of people involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

A view from above one of several display cases displaying pamphlets, flyers, books, condoms and other paraphernalia produced by GMHC, Body Positive, and other AIDS education organizations.

Photos by Daniel Hendrick for Body Positive.

AIDS Milestones
1981	Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) diagnosed in gay men in Los Angeles "Rare Cancer" (Kaposi's sarcoma or KS) diagnosed in gay men in New York City First PCP diagnosed in injecting drug users (IDUs) First woman with AIDS in the US First pediatric AIDS case in the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) declares the new disease an epidemic
1982	First use of term "Gay-Related Immune Deficiency" (GRID) AIDS service organization Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC) established in New York City First Haitian refugee with AIDS First hemophiliac with AIDS KS/AIDS Foundation founded People with AIDS Coalition of San Francisco (PWAC-SF) founded First safe sex pamphlet for gay men published AIDS reported in 14 nations
1983	French scientists isolate virus; name it "Lymphadenopathy-Associated Virus" or LAV Fears emerge of casual transmission to children National Association of People with AIDS (NAPWA) adopts The Denver Principles, a statement of self-empowerment for people with AIDS (PWAs) First U.S. Conference on AIDS New York State AIDS Institute established AIDS reported in 33 nations
1984	U.S. scientists isolate the virus; call it HTLV-III San Francisco bathhouses closed Health and Human Services Secretary predicts a brief epidemic and a cure by 1990
1985	HIV antibody test licensed All infants testing HIV-positive are believed to be infected People with AIDS Coalition of New York (PWAC-NY) founded Blood banks begin screening for HIV First International AIDS Conference Actor Rock Hudson dies of AIDS HIV-positive hemophiliac teenager Ryan White barred from school Large numbers of AIDS cases registered in Central Africa AIDS reported in 51 nations
1986	International Committee names the virus HIV -- the Human Immunodeficiency Virus Second International AIDS Conference Clinical trials begin of antiretroviral drug AZT World Health Organization (WHO) launches global AIDS strategy First documented infection of HIV-2, a version of the virus prevalent in West Africa US Surgeon General issues major report on AIDS WHO recommends needle exchange
1987	AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG) formed HIV antibody test measures mother's antibodies not infant's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves AZT CDC revises AIDS definition Test group ACT UP established First national display of AIDS Memorial Quilt AIDS reported in 127 nations New York-based AIDS service organization Body Positive formed
1988	Women named fastest growing group of PWAs FDA speeds up approval process for experimental drugs First annual World AIDS Day commemorated FDA approves antiretroviral drug ddI First Presidential Commission Report on AIDS
1989	Underground clinical trials of alternative treatment Compound Q FDA approves ganciclovir for cytomegalovirus (CMV) and aerosolized pentamadine for PCP ACT UP demands release of ddl (Videx) Fifth International AIDS Conference
1990	Indiana teenager Ryan White dies Ryan White CARE Act passed; provides federal funding for AIDS care Large numbers of children with HIV in Romanian orphanages 8 to 10 million HIV cases worldwide CDC calls for end to U.S. restriction on HIV-positive immigrants Americans with Disabilities Act passed First National Women & HIV Conference
1991	FDA approves ddC (Hivid) Kimberly Bergalis, believed to have been HIV infected by her dentist, requests that Congress mandate testing of health-care workers Basketball star Magic Johnson announces his HIV-positive status Red ribbon becomes international symbol of AIDS awareness PWAs around the world march on U.S. consulates to protest U.S. immigration policy blocking admission of people with HIV Decision to move 1992 International Conference from Boston to Amsterdam
1992	FDA approves use of ddC with AZT Democratic and Republican National Conventions have HIV-positive speakers Presidential campaign promises full funding of Ryan White CARE Act and lifting of HIV immigration ban Estimates issued that by 2000, HIV will leave more children motherless than all other causes combined
1993	Tennis champion Arthur Ashe dies Social Security Administration changes disability requirements CDC revises AIDS definition to include CD4 cell counts below 200 and cervical cancer Concorde study shows AZT monotherapy not effective in averting AIDS Kristine Gebbie appointed as first national "AIDS Czar," director of the Office of National AIDS Policy CDC, FDA, and National Institutes of Health (NIH) declare condoms highly effective in preventing HIV San Francisco researchers warn of "second wave" of infection among young gay men FDA approves clarithromycin for Mycobacterium infections Long-term survivor and activist Michael Callen dies
1994	ACTG 076 showed AZT reduced perinatal transmission by two-thirds AIDS declared the leading cause of death for Americans ages 25 to 44 Johnson & Johnson design Home Test Kit FDA approves D4T (Zerit) Patsy Fleming appointed AIDS Czar
1995	Delta Trial shows AZT with ddl or ddC improved treatment Dual combination therapy becomes standard of care FDA approves protease inhibitor Saquinavir and 3TC in combination with AZT First White House Conference on AIDS CDC issues Prenatal Counseling & Testing Guidelines
1996	Ryan White CARE Act reauthorized Congress approves higher spending on AIDS programs FDA approves two protease inhibitors Triple combination therapy introduced Viral load testing begins Cover stories in the media hail AIDS breakthroughs as "end of epidemic" African-American leaders urge aggressive campaign against AIDS Newborn testing legislation passed in New York State
1997	FDA approves first non-nucleoside analog reverse transcriptase inhibitor, delavirdine Warnings emerge of protease inhibitor side effects Decline in mother-to-child transmission in U.S. Importance of treatment adherence stressed New drug combinations extend life for PWAs Decline in AIDS hospitalization and deaths in U.S. 30 million people living with HIV/AIDS FDA approves Viracept for pediatric use FDA approves Combivir
1998	12th International AIDS Conference: growing gap between rich and poor countries emphasized Start of The Health Global Access Project CDC finds nearly half of HIV-positive adolescent males infected through sex with men FDA approves Sustiva and Ziagen Congress gives $156 million to fight AIDS in Black and Hispanic communities African-American women three times more likely to die of AIDS than White or Hispanic women AIDS kills more people worldwide than any other infection AIDSVAX starts first human trial of AIDS vaccine in U.S. South Africa's Gugu Diamini killed after revealing HIV-positive status
1999	FDA approves Agenerase for children ACT UP protests Vice President Gore's opposition to South Africa making or purchasing generic drugs AIDS fourth biggest killer worldwide South Africa wins battle to cut drug prices Vaccine development suffers setback
2000	Ryan White CARE Act reauthorized AIDS is number one killer in Africa HIV in U.S. among people over 50 years increasing at two times the rate for those under 50 One of four pregnant women in South Africa infected with HIV Russia has highest HIV growth rate Thirteenth International AIDS Conference held in South Africa U.S. President declares AIDS a national security risk Resistance testing standard of care Increases in treatment failure Emergence of resistant viral strains
Adapted from a timeline prepared by the New York State AIDS Institute.

Back to the August 2001 Issue of Body Positive Magazine.

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AIDS Milestones